Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/April 8

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This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/April 8.

To report an error when this list is currently on the Main Page, see Main Page errors. Please remember that this list defers to the supporting articles, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding April 8 article, see Talk:April 8 instead.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?: A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.

As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.

Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.

Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.

Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?

A2: The short, basic reason is the systemic bias of Wikipedia. There are not enough good, well-written articles on 19th-century and earlier events for all 365 days in the year. Currently, a majority of users seem to be generally more interested in writing articles about recent events. If you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q3: This page seems to be biased toward events based in [Insert country or region here]. What can be done about it?

A3: This again is attributed to the systemic bias of Wikipedia. Many users are generally more interested in working on good, well-written articles pertaining to their home country. Since this is the English Wikipedia, there will be more English-speaking users, and thus more articles pertaining to English-speaking countries. And if there are more users who are from the United States, there will probably be more well-written articles about events based in the United States. Again, if you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?

A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.

Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?

A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.

Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?

A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:

Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.

Today's featured article for April 8, 2025
Seal of the Empress Matilda Empress Matilda (1102–1167) was the claimant to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter of King Henry I, she moved to Germany to marry the future Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. Her younger brother died in 1120, leaving a succession crisis. On Henry V's death in 1125, her father arranged for her to marry Geoffrey of Anjou. Henry I nominated her as his heir before his death in 1135, but she faced opposition from the Norman barons and the throne was taken by her cousin Stephen of Blois. In 1139 Matilda crossed to England to take the crown by force. She captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, but London crowds blocked her attempt to be crowned and she was never formally declared queen. Her half-brother was captured and Matilda exchanged him for Stephen. A stalemate developed. She returned to Normandy in 1148, leaving her eldest son—later Henry II—to continue the campaign. She then focused on leading Normandy and giving her son political advice. (Full article...) Recently featured: What a Merry-Go-Round The Suicide of Rachel Foster Giant anteater Archive By email More featured articles About view – talk – edit – history – watch
Picture of the day for April 8, 2025
The featured picture for this day has not yet been chosen. In general, pictures of the day are scheduled in order of promotion to featured status. See Wikipedia:Picture of the day/Guidelines for full guidelines. create

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Suggestions

1913 - The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified requiring direct election of Senators.
- Still unused as of 2012
1341 - Petrarch was crowned poet laureate at a ceremony in Rome
- Included
1513 - French troops and Swiss mercenaries swarmed into the Sforzas' Milan after the Battle of Novara.
- Wrong date: June 6
1513 - Explorer Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain.
- Used on April 2
1838 - Isambard Kingdom Brunel's steamship "Great Western", the first steamship designed for the Atlantic, crossing left Bristol, England, with 24 first-class passengers.
- Still unused as of 2012
1899 - At Sing Sing in Ossining, New York, convicted murderer Martha Place was the first woman executed in the electric chair.
- Still unused as of 2012, but ineligible
1913 - The first Western-style parliament in China's history opened in Peking (Beijing).
- History of the Republic of China does not have the exact date
1939 - King Zog of Albania fled from Tirana ahead of Italy's invading troops, in a prelude to World War II.
- Used on January 2
1946 - The last session of the League of Nations met in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Used on January 11
1952 - U.S. President Harry S. Truman averted a strike at Youngstown, Ohio, by seizing control of the steel mills, a move later declared unconstitutional
- Unused as of 2012, but not a very significant date for Truman

(Is this the "queue" I hear about? Is this the right place to suggest anniversaries? Wetman 06:31, 8 Apr 2004 (UTC))

2012 notes

Deleted: Ayutthaya Kingdom (moved to April 7), Elisha Otis (natural deaths can only be used on centennials)
Moved to Ineligible: Superconductivity (maintenance); Buddha's Birthday (maintenance)
Omitted: Caracalla; The Book of the Law (ineligible—maintenance); Yi So-Yeon
Included: Petrarch (4th appearance, last in 2010); Venus de Milo (first appearance); Government of Ireland Bill 1886; Times Square (7th appearance, last in 2010)
Repeats: BOAC Flight 712/Jane Harrison (GC) (BOAC: 3rd consecutive apperance, 3 total: Jane Harrison: first appearance); Arthur Ashe (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total)

—howcheng {chat} 00:39, 8 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

2013 notes

Deleted: Clint Eastwood (moved to April 30)
New articles (unused): Battle of Mansfield
Omitted: Petrarch; Venus de Milo; Government of Ireland Bill 1886; Times Square; BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison; Arthur Ashe
Included: Krak des Chevaliers (first appearance); HMS Princess (1740) (first appearance); The Book of the Law (6th appearance, last in 2011; rescued from Ineligible); Superconductivity (first appearance; rescued from Ineligible); Bahrain World Trade Center (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 05:12, 7 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2014 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Petrarch
Omitted: Krak des Chevaliers; HMS Princess (1740); The Book of the Law; Superconductivity; Bahrain World Trade Center (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: Caracalla (5th appearance, last in 2011); Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul (first appearance); Battle of Mansfield (first appearance; 150th anniversary); Entente cordiale (7th appearance, last in 2009; rescued from Ineligible); Yi So-Yeon (2nd appearance, last in 2011)

2015 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Bahrain World Trade Center
Omitted: Caracalla; Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul; Battle of Mansfield; Entente Cordiale; Yi So-yeon
Included: Petrarch (5th appearance, last in 2012); HMS Princess (1740) (2nd appearance, last in 2013; 275th anniversary); Venus de Milo (2nd appearance, last in 2012); BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison (BOAC: 4th appearance; Harrison: 2nd appearance; both last in 2012); Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 08:01, 6 April 2015 (UTC)[reply]

2016 notes

Moved to Ineligible: The Book of the Law (maintenance)
Omitted: HMS Princess (1740); Venus de Milo; BOAC Flight 712; Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: Krak des Chevaliers (2nd appearance, last in 2013); Battle of Mansfield (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Superconductivity (2nd appearance, last in 2013); Bahrain World Trade Center (2nd appearance, last in 2013)
Repeats: Petrarch (2nd consecutive appearance, 6 total; 775th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 06:34, 6 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

2017 births/deaths - Margaret Thatcher dropped?

Hi howcheng, just curious as to why Margaret Thatcher was removed from the births/deaths section? It's a Good Article, hasn't been on the main page since 2005, isn't listed on her birth date in October. Am I missing some reason that the article couldn't be included on April 8? TIA, MurielMary (talk) 11:20, 7 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

@MurielMary: Thatcher appears as a blurb on May 4, last in 2016. On Talk:Margaret Thatcher, it's hidden in the {{article history}} template. —howcheng {chat} 07:25, 8 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks very much for that, I will make sure to use "show" and check all those details in the templates in future. MurielMary (talk) 11:19, 8 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2017 notes

New articles (ineligible): Gallaudet University (maintenance; moved from February 16)
Omitted: Krak des Chevaliers; Petrarch (ineligible—maintenance); Venus de Milo (ineligible—maintenance); Battle of Mansfield; Superconductivity; Bahrain World Trade Center
Included: Caracalla (6th appearance, last in 2014; 800th anniversary); Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Times Square (8th appearance, last in 2012); MV Dara (first appearance); Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (2nd appearance, last in 2015; rescued from Ineligible); John II Komnenos (first appearance); Philip IV of Spain (first appearance); Sara Northrup Hollister (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 07:13, 8 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2018 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Government of Ireland Bill 1886 (maintenance); Entente Cordiale (maintenance); Superconductivity (maintenance); Bahrain World Trade Center (maintenance)
Omitted: Caracalla; Times Square; MV Dara; Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; John II Komnenos; Philip IV of Spain (ineligible—maintenance); Sara Northrup Hollister
Included: HMS Princess (1740) (3rd appearance, last in 2015); Otto and Elise Hampel (first appearance; 75th anniversary); BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison (BOAC: 5th appearance; Harrison: 3rd appearance; both last in 2015); Yi So-yeon (3rd appearance, last in 2015; 50th anniversary); Thomas of Tolentino (first appearance); Mary Stuart (1605–1607) (first appearance); Betty Ford (first appearance; 100th anniversary)
Repeats: Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 03:35, 8 April 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2019 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (maintenance)
New articles (ineligible): Dead (musician) (maintenance)
Omitted: Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul; Otto and Elise Hampel; BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison; Yi So-yeon; Thomas of Tolentino; Mary Stuart (1605–1607); Betty Ford
Included: Caracalla (7th appearance, last in 2017); Krak des Chevaliers (3rd appearance, last in 2016); Entente Cordiale (8th appearance, last in 2014; rescued from Ineligible); COBOL (first appearance; 60th anniversary); Niels Juel (first appearance); Marie Byles (first appearance); Sara Northrup Hollister (2nd appearance, last in 2017)
Repeats: HMS Princess (1740) (2nd consecutive appearance, 4 total)

—howcheng {chat} 16:15, 8 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]

2020 notes

Omitted: Caracalla; Krak des Chevaliers; HMS Princess (1740); Entente Cordiale; COBOL; Niels Juel; Marie Byles; Sara Northrup Hollister
Included: Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul (4th appearance, last in 2018); Manor of Rensselaerswyck (first appearance); Winsor McCay/Little Nemo (1911 film) (both: first appearance); BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison(Flight: 6th appearance, Harrion: 4th, both last in 2018); Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (3rd appearance, last in 2017; rescued from Ineligible); John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford (first appearance); Elizabeth Bacon Custer (first appearance); Jack Tramiel (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 16:13, 9 April 2020 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (date not in article); Yi So-yeon (maintenance)
Omitted: Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul; Manor of Rensselaerswyck; John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford; Elizabeth Bacon Custer; Jack Tramiel
Included: Krak des Chevaliers (4th appearance, last in 2018); Otto and Elise Hampel (2nd appearance, last in 2018); MV Dara (2nd appearance, last in 2017; 60th anniversary); Allen Butler Talcott (first appearance); Marie Byles (2nd appearance, last in 2019); Kofi Annan (2nd appearance, last in 2004; previously appeared on December 13)
Repeats: Winsor McCay/Little Nemo (1911 film) (both: 2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total); BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison (both: 2nd consecutive appearance; Flight: 7 total; Harrison: 5 total)

—howcheng {chat} 07:29, 10 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

2022 notes

New articles (ineligible): Dionysios Solomos (maintenance)
Omitted: Krak des Chevaliers; Winsor McCay/Little Nemo (1911 film); Otto and Elise Hampel; MV Dara; BOAC Flight 712/Barbara Jane Harrison; Allen Butler Talcott; Marie Byles; Kofi Annan
Included: Caracalla (8th appearance, last in 2019); Battle of Dayr al-Aqul (5th appearance, last in 2020); Manor of Rensselaerswyck (2nd appearance, last in 2020); Times Square (9th appearance, last in 2017); The Hump (first appearance; 80th anniversary); John II Komnenos (2nd appearance, last in 2017); Niels Juel (2nd appearance, last in 2019); Jack Tramiel (2nd appearance, last in 2020; 10th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 04:08, 9 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]